Editorial by Brian Babin

 

Monday’s horrific attack in Manchester, England leaves us with another sobering reminder of what is at stake in the evil war that radical Islamists are waging. A 22-year-old radical Islamist, Salman Abedi, the son of Libyan refugees, maliciously targeted and killed pre-teens, teenagers and parents exiting a pop concert.

The lives of 22 people were tragically taken, including an 8-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos, 50-year-old Jane T. Taylor, 14-year-old Nell Jones, and Marcin and Angelika Klis who were there to pick up their two daughters. These people are not just victims of a random attack, but they are casualties in the war that radical Islamists are savagely waging on freedom and liberty around the globe.

This cowardly act of violence directed at the most vulnerable among us clearly shows the evil we face. Too many of our elected officials still turn a blind eye to this growing danger. Others choose to embrace domestic radical Islamic terrorism as the new reality that we must learn to live with. I am unwilling to accept that vision for America. That is why I am working to stop sympathizers of radical Islamist ideology from entering into the United States.

Two years ago, I introduced the Resettlement Accountability National Security Act to put a complete halt on the refugee program until new vetting procedures are put in place to ensure the program does not pose a security threat to the American people. Since then, I have been working tirelessly to close this gaping hole in our national security. At the start of the new Congress in January, this was the first bill I re-introduced (H.R. 80) – because it is absolutely critical that we address this vulnerability before more innocent Americans are killed.

The FBI recently confirmed that of the 2,000 on-going terrorism related investigations, three hundred (15%) involve refugees. Clearly, the current screening program has failed and is leaving Americans at risk.

President Trump has issued multiple national security executive orders to better target and prevent entry of terrorists into America. Unfortunately, liberal activist courts have blocked the President’s lawful efforts to protect American citizens at every turn. With the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Thursday against the President’s executive order, it is my hope the U.S. Supreme Court will reverse this injustice.

Effectively addressing and putting a stop to radical Islam requires freeing ourselves from the chains of political correctness and having an honest conversation about these dangers. President Trump should be applauded rather than maligned for putting the safety of the American people first. Political correctness is getting people killed.

One of the most important steps in protecting the American homeland is stopping those who seek to do our country harm by infiltrating our refugee program to engage in terrorism. Due to the steady stream of terrorist attacks, I’m afraid that the American people are at risk of growing de-sensitized to the carnage and begin to accept it as a way of life.

For the families of Saffie, Jane, Nell, Marcin and Angelika, just a few of the victims from the Manchester attack – ISIS is no longer just an existential threat. The outflow of radical Islam has permanently scarred those families’ lives in a way that I pray no one else will have to experience.

The Manchester attack is yet another terrible reminder of the critical importance of the duty that President Trump and Congress have to protect the American people from the danger of radical Islam.

The national security agenda that President Trump and like-minded Members of Congress are pursuing is about putting the safety and security of the American people first because as Monday’s attack graphically demonstrates – innocent lives depend on it.

 

Dr. Brian Babin is the U.S. Congressional Representative for the 36th District